I love a good story! I love reading westerns with the pounding of horse hoofs and the good guys winning the battle against evil! I love mystery books with the twists and turns before the truth is discovered. Stories of romance are popular, though not with me! But, there is one love story I have read numerous times and never find it less captivating. For Christians, it is the basis for their faith. But, even non-Christians should be moved by this love story! Today I stand on the spot where the greatest love story ever written was based. I never dreamed I would one day stand on the “hill” of "Calvary" (from the Latin) or "Golgotha" (from the Aramaic), both words meaning “place of the skull”!


THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE (TOMB)
After leaving Station IX (in the previous post), the next stop is the Hill of Calvary where Christ was crucified . But, you will not immediately see a hill where crucifixions occurred. You will not see a hill with 3 crosses on top like the pictures you find in Bibles or paintings. 

 
 Instead, you will see a small, boxed in courtyard in front of a rather drab, earth-toned basilica with grey domes and a short belfry called "The Church of the Holy Sepulchre". It's not the magnificent structure you might expect to see surrounding the sites of the most important events in the Christian faith . . . the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!


This was an important site for the early Christians. But, after the destruction of Jerusalem, Emperor Hadrian built a pagan temple over it.

 
Then, Emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity in 312 AD. The interest of his new faith led to many religious sites being marked and many churches being built in the Holy Land . The 1st (and most important) was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which he built in 326 A.D., after tearing down the pagan temple. The Persians burned Constantine’s church in 614. It was restored and again destroyed by Muslims in 1009 and later partially rebuilt. The Christian Crusaders completed the reconstruction in 1149. That is the church that stands today.


The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is NOT one single church for a particular congregation to worship in. The huge, rambling church building not only surrounds the crucifixion and burial site, but contains over 30 chapels and places of worship.You can see signs of damage from fires, earthquakes, war destruction and reconstruction that happened over many centuries.


 The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a pilgrimage site for millions of Christians from all over the world. I visited a few times but wanted to come at a quieter time . So, one morning I left the hotel before daylight. The Arab man on the reception desk asked where I was going so early and then asked if I believed. He said he used to be Muslim, but now does not believe in any religion.


One thing to note is that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is inside the city walls, while the Gospels say the crucifixion took place outside. Archaeologists have confirmed that the site of the church was outside the city until about 10 years after Christ’s death, when a new wall was built.

 
The last 5 Stations of the Way of The Cross are here, under the roof of the church. But, these are not marked with the numbered disks. I cover 4 of the Stations in this entry.

 
The entire church is somber and a little dark, with small chapels and places for meditation everwhere. As you walk the halls, it's easy to forget you are in a church building, it is so huge . So, proper Christian church etiquette is required when you enter a chapel: no hats, modest dress, no smoking, and a respectful attitude!


STATION X - JESUS IS STRIPPED
Enter the church through the two large wooden doors and immediately turn right, where you will see 19 steps (steep and curving) leading up the side of the Hill of Calvary. 4 of the last 5 Stations are here . . . on top of the rock of Calvary!
 

The 1st place you will see at the top of the winding stairs is the Chapel of the Franks. This is where Jesus was stripped of his clothes. It's a small chapel with benches where people can sit and meditate on the scene here of the Savior being stripped, before being nailed to the cross, over 2,000 years ago!
 

STATION XI - JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
As I wrote earlier, these stations are not marked. The separation of Stations X and XI is only indicated by an open archway . It's easy to view both stations from either side. 

 
This Station, The Catholic Chapel of the Nailing to the Cross, is just to the right of Station X. It's where Christ was nailed to the cross! Even when crowded, it is quiet and moving. People are very somber. 
 

On the ceiling over the Station is a 12th-century medallion of the Ascension of Jesus. It's the only Crusader mosaic in the entire church that survived the Muslim destruction!
 

STATION XII - JESUS IS CRUCIFIED
 A Greek Orthodox crucifixion altar inside the church marks where Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. A silver disk with a central hole under the altar marks where the cross stood, and pilgrims can be seen kneeling and kissing it.
 

I returned another day, before sunrise, so I could avoid the tour groups. On this day I went to the altar at the front. The altar has been built low so you will have to kneel to get underneath . 


Here, underneath the altar is the spot where the cross stood that Jesus died on. A hole has been cut in the covering, allowing you to reach through and touch the rock of Calvary with the hole that held the cross! You can stay and pray or meditate as long as you choose. There are no time limits or rushed feelings. 


STATION XIII - JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
Right next to the station of the cross is the place the body of Christ's' body was taken down from the cross. There is a Catholic altar of Our Lady of Sorrows, depicting Mary with a sword piercing her heart.


From here there are steps leading down the other side of the hill to the ground floor. Turn left and here is a slab of stone commemorating the stone where the body was prepared for burial by the women, called the "Stone of Unction" or "Stone of Anointing" . I read where the rock is dated much later than the crucifixion, so I think it is more of a shrine than the actual rock slab. But, maybe some Catholic Christians believe it to be the actual stone, I am not sure. They kneel here and pray and touch the stone.


WALKING THE ROTUNDA
If you turn right after coming down from the hill, away from the slab, you will walk the circle of the sprawling church rotunda, before arriving at the tomb. As you go you will see the many chapels. I included photos of some of them.


In the next post I will cover the last Station, XIV, the TOMB! 

 
SCRIPTURE:

The Stripping of his Garments: John 19:23-24

 The crucifixion: Matthew 27:27-56; Mark 15:16-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:16-37

 The Good Thief: Luke 23:39-43

Mary and John Below the cross: John 19:25-27


 
NEXT: "THE FIRST EASTER"